EDMONTON — The Alberta Federation of Labour launched the “Fight Back Now” campaign on Saturday, urging the Government of Alberta to address issues important to “working Albertans,” culminating in a province-wide protest on May 29. "We have the sense that there is a majority of Albertans who are not feeling heard," said AFL President Gil McGowan during an interview on Monday's Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen. According to McGowan, Premier Danielle Smith and the UCP government are more concerned about issues such as Alberta independence, dual healthcare, pulling out of the Canada Pension Plan and the RCMP, and stripping workers of their rights, including the right to strike. "And well, while they're focusing on all these things that we never voted for and the vast majority of us don't support, they're ignoring the things that Albertans are really concerned about," McGowan said. .In November, the AFL unveiled the Workers' Agenda, the first step in its push to outline what it believes the provincial government should focus on, including lowering the cost of living, supporting workers, addressing health care, and supporting democracy. "Instead, we're getting a whole bunch of stuff that people never voted for and never asked for," McGowan said. McGowan argued that the political stage is being controlled by billionaires and online "grifters" who spread misinformation and have created a "bulls--- bubble" to weaponize the anger that Alberta workers are feeling and spin the anger for their political gain. "I'm tired of being told that all Albertans believe is fighting with Ottawa and cozying up to Donald Trump," McGowan said. "That's not my Alberta, and I don't think it's the Alberta for the majority of my fellow citizens.".The Fight Back Now campaign is step two of their plan, and AFL intends to use May 29 as an opportunity for working Albertans to feel heard and show that Albertans are tired of being ignored. "That's our invitation, not just to union members in this province, not just public sector, but private sector as well," McGowan said. "Anyone who's frustrated with two-tier health care, more talk about pulling Alberta out of the CPP. Anyone who's frustrated with a government that's paving the way for separatism. We're going to provide people a platform."
